Nick Reiner will not face death penalty in killings of his parents, prosecutor says

Los Angeles (CNN) — California prosecutors announced they will not seek the death penalty against Michele and Rob Reiner’s son Nick, who has been charged with murder in the killing of his parents.

Nick Reiner, who turned 33 on Monday, faces two counts of first-degree murder in the killings and an added allegation of lying in wait, according to an indictment unsealed last month. He has pleaded not guilty.

The maximum sentence Reiner will face is life without the possibility of parole, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said ahead of a court hearing Tuesday.

Rob Reiner, a legendary Hollywood director, and his wife Michele, a producer, were found dead from apparent stab wounds in their Brentwood, California, home last December. Hours later, authorities arrested and charged their middle son, Nick, with the killings.

“In deciding whether or not the DA’s office was going to seek the death penalty, we have gone through a rigorous review where we look at the aggravating factors as well as the mitigating factors, where we have spoken to the victims’ family, we have spoken to prosecutors, law enforcement, and worked with the most senior people in the district attorney’s office,” Hochman said Tuesday.

Los Angeles County Deputy Public Defender Kimberly Greene, who represents Reiner, told CNN the district attorney’s office made the “right decision not to seek the death penalty in this case.”

“Nick has a serious mental illness and a long history of struggling with self-medication,” she said in a statement. “His circumstances are a tragic example of how difficult it can be for people experiencing significant mental health challenges to access and navigate the treatment and support they need.”

Reiner appeared in court Tuesday in a Los Angeles County Jail jumpsuit. His hair was notably longer than it was during a hearing in February, and he sat handcuffed to the arm of chair throughout the proceedings.

Rob Reiner had previously shared his views on death and forgiveness, commending Erika Kirk last year for her willingness to forgive the alleged shooter after her husband, conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was shot and killed at a speaking event.

Rob and Michele Reiner had also previously formed a close bond with Texas inmate Nanon Williams, who was sentenced to death for a murder he says he did not commit.

During Tuesday’s hearing, the judge decided not to release grand jury transcripts that led to Nick Reiner’s indictment on murder charges for the killing of his parents and ordered them sealed for the time being.

The Reiners’ other children, Jake and Romy Reiner, have expressed a strong desire for the transcripts to remain sealed, Hochman said prior to the hearing.

“They basically have said that the disclosure to the public and the media of the details and evidence of the killing of their parents will cause them additional trauma and harm, and they have respectively asked for the court to keep the transcript sealed,” Hochman said.

While prosecutors do not believe unsealing the transcripts will cause prejudice in the case, they will defer to the court’s ruling, Hochman said.

Members of the media may, however, file a motion to unseal the transcripts, the judge said Tuesday.

Last month, the couple’s eldest son, Jake, spoke to CNN affiliate KABC about how he and his sister, Romy, have struggled to cope since their parents’ deaths.

“I’ll never understand, I don’t care how it was explained to me, I don’t care what facts come out, I will never understand why this happened,” Reiner said.

Although he declined to comment on whether he was shocked by the allegations and charges against his brother, Jake admitted he hasn’t spoken to Nick since he was arrested.

The hearing follows Hollywood’s tribute to Rob and Michele Reiner at the 2026 Emmy Awards on Monday. Ahead of the ceremony, Rob Reiner was awarded a posthumous Emmy for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series for his role in the FX series “The Bear.”

Later, actress Jamie Lee Curtis fought through tears as she closed the “In Memoriam” section with a tribute to the couple.

“(Rob) was generous and kind and funny as hell and a friend to all, and we all miss Rob and Michele and all those we lost this year,” she said.

This story has been updated.

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CNN’s Jack Hannah reported from Los Angeles, Lauren Mascarenhas wrote and reported from New York and Chelsea Bailey wrote from Washington. CNN’s Joe Sutton contributed to this report.